


Evan Buckley vs The Pool

by lesbianettes



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Athena Grant Being a Mom, Athena Grant is Buck's Mom, Bobby Nash Being a Dad, Bobby and Athena are Buck's Parents, Bobby is Buck's Dad, But not on purpose, Established Relationship, Gen, Guilt, Hen and Chimney were assholes, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Panic Attacks, Pool Party, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Post-Tsunami (9-1-1), athena grant pov, bobby nash pov, established Buddie, prank gone wrong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:02:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24400273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lesbianettes/pseuds/lesbianettes
Summary: After the tsunami, Buck isn't exactly friends with the water.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley & Athena Grant, Evan "Buck" Buckley & Bobby Nash, Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 21
Kudos: 581





	1. Chapter 1

It’s another blistering day in Los Angeles, and by some miracle, everyone has the day off. However, instead of spending the day alone, the 118 has once again dedicated hours to be together in the form of “the best pool party in LA,” according to Harry when he helped Bobby carry in the pizza. Athena’s backyard pool is more than accommodating to the three children splashing around in the shallows- four if you count Eddie- and the adults drifting in the deeper end, as well as those who are too busy snacking and drinking beer to get in the water. It’s a cheerful sight, one they’ve all earned after the drama of the past year or so.

“Bucky, look!”

Bobby watches the smile break across Buck’s face when Christopher calls for him. He’s gone for that kid, has been since the first day Eddie brought him into the station. “I’m looking!” he yells back, snapping pictures on his phone as he plays marco polo with the other kids. It’s always around Christopher and Eddie that he seems the happiest. He’d be happier in the water, Bobby thinks for a moment, before remembering exactly what he’s been through. Buck was on the pier when the tsunami hit, was jerked around in the waves multiple times as he struggled to protect Christopher and save bystanders. Then he was wandering around in various heights of water for who knows how long, searching for Chris. If he doesn’t feel safe going back into the water, Bobby won’t push him. He’ll talk to him about it on the next shift though. In this city, a firefighter needs to be able to go into the water. 

For now, though, it’s a good day, and Bobby doesn’t mention the fact that Buck stays in his chair in the shade, drinking beer and taking pictures of Eddie and Christopher. Hen and Chimney are playfully teasing him from the pool and occasionally splashing him, but it’s all in good fun, so he doesn’t feel like he has to intervene. This team is like a family. 

“Something on your mind?” Athena asks, nudging him with her elbow. “You’ve been staring at Buck for a minute.”

It’s not his place to talk about Buck’s potential trauma, but Athena knows everything he does anyway. “I’m just worried about him. He won’t get in the water. I mean, it hasn’t been an issue on any calls yet, but…” he doesn’t have to finish the sentence. They both know what he means. “I just don’t think he’s really processed any of it. I mean, he’s learned a lot about natural disasters, I guess to try and reassure himself, but that’s not the same as healing.”

“I can talk to him about it.”

“No, I will. Just not today.”

She nods. Neither of them want to disrupt the good day everyone is having. Bobby leans down to kiss her cheek before going over to the grill to check on the roast. Sure, they’ve had their pizza, but that was for lunch, and it’s starting to near evening, and he’d never send his team home without at least one proper meal. It’s one of the reasons Buck, Hen and Eddie affectionately refer to him as Captain Dad, which he doesn’t mind all that much. Maybe he was born to be a caretaker. It’s certainly the only way he’s ever felt at peace in his life. Providing for his wife and kids, before he lost them, and being a firefighter, and now looking after this gigantic family he stumbled into. There’s just something good about being able to show his love for them in a way as concrete as cooking. He smiles at the grill when he hears the incoming disaster.

Hen and Chimney are getting out of the pool, laughing in low tones. Buck announces he’s getting up for another beer and asks if anyone else wants some. Somehow, Bobby knows something bad is about to happen and he turns around, but he’s not fast enough. None of them are. And he knows that the two of them don’t mean any real harm because it’s something they’d done before the tsunami. Bobby’s four children (and yes, the firefighters are kind of his children sometimes) would push each other into the pool at these parties. The difference is that Buck is now afraid of the water, and Hen and Chimney don’t know that. Out of the corner of his eye, Bobby sees Eddie watching in horror as well from where he’s reaching for a towel for Christopher. There’s nothing they can do to stop it. It all happens so fast.

First, Hen grabs Buck under his arms and lifts, and then Chimney has his legs. In less than five seconds, they’re throwing him the few inches to the pool, and then Buck is in the air. There’s a moment of pure terror on his face before his back hits the water. Then he’s in. Hen and Chimney are laughing, but Eddie and Bobby are both looking at the dark blur in the water where Buck went in.

He doesn’t resurface after a few seconds, even though his body is clearly moving under the water, and the laughter stops. Buck isn’t coming back up. Bobby takes a step forward, about to go in after him, but Eddie is faster, jumping back into the water and grabbing Buck from the deep end. For the brief moment he’s under there, trying to get a hold of his flailing limbs, Bobby wonders if Buck is scared enough to inhale. He can picture it. Just like when Buck collapsed in this backyard before, panicking as he coughed up blood all over himself when he was supposed to be better. 

Then Eddie’s head breaks the water, followed by Buck’s, and he takes them both to the edge so Hen and Chimney can help haul him back out of there. Even back on the concrete, Buck is struggling and despite two yards or so between them, Bobby can hear him gasping for breath and sobbing. He’s not just scared. He’s terrified. Eddie drags himself out of the pool and kneels beside Buck, taking his hand and helping him sit up. 

“Buck, listen to me. I need you to take a deep breath, okay? You’re alright. You’re safe.”

He seems caught between trying to calm Buck down and check him over to make sure he’s not hurt, so Bobby comes over and sits at his other side. Carefully, he presses his fingers to the side of Buck’s neck to feel his pulse. It’s rapid, but in rhythm. It’ll be hard to check his breathing before he calms down, but the lack of coughing or signs of deoxygenating are good signs that he didn’t inhale anything. Physically, he’s just wet. But emotionally is a different story.

One of Buck’s soaked hands grabs Bobby’s shirt as he meets his eyes. The kid looks so scared. More than he’s ever seen him, even when he was pinned under that ladder truck and had no idea why no one was helping him. It’s the sort of look that sends ice through Bobby’s own veins because he doesn’t know how to make all the pain and fear go away.

“Christopher,” Buck gasps out. “I need to- I lost him- I-”

Eddie calls Christopher over, letting him near the chaos and into Buck’s arms. “It’s okay, baby, he’s right here. He’s safe. You’re safe. You’re both safe, I promise.”

Buck wraps his arms around Christopher and buries his face in the child’s wet curls, trying to control his crying in front of him. He’s a natural father, Bobby has always thought, and it shows now in how he’s so visibly distressed and yet focuses first on the comfort of Christopher. In some ways, he is a father. He and Eddie are practically raising Chris together, anyway, and it’s heartbreaking to remember the pure panic and pain on Buck’s face when he had to say he didn’t know where Christopher was. 

Unfortunately for all of them, Christopher has always picked up easily on unsaid cues. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, honey, I’m fine,” Buck says, still with his lips to the crown of Christopher’s head. His voice is shaking almost as bad as his body, but he says it nonetheless. “Just got a little scared, that’s all.”

Karen hands Bobby a towel, which he wraps around Buck’s shoulders, and Christopher by extension. The party is all but over, and when he Bobby looks up, he sees the shock and guilt on Hen and Chimney’s faces. They didn’t mean for this to happen. But they should have thought first, and he’ll talk to them later. For now, it’s more important that Buck is okay.

Always one step ahead when it comes to Buck, Eddie leans in close to him and murmurs, “Do we need to worry about your lungs?”

“I- I don’t know.”

None of them have their kits with them, so it means Buck will probably get a trip to the ER to be sure he won’t dry-drown later on in the night. For now, he seems unwilling to move from his safe spot beside the pool, clinging to Christopher and remembering how to breathe again. Bobby leaves him in Eddie’s capable hands and stands up, looking at Hen and Chimney, 

“I want to speak to you both inside.”

Hen’s face crumples. “Bobby, we didn’t-”

“Inside.”

They both shuffle toward the sliding glass door. Bobby follows after them, but not without one last look over his shoulder at the three boys sitting beside his pool. As Buck starts rocking himself and Christopher back and forth slightly, Eddie nods at Bobby. He’s got it taken care of. They’re safe with him.


	2. Chapter 2

It’s been almost two months since the last pool party, and all the trouble that came with it. To be honest, Athena was a bit hesitant to do this again. It seems like a good idea, sure, and it’s another hot day that could use refreshing water and great company, but that’s what she thought last time, before most of their guests left in shame, the others accompanying Buck to the hospital. She’s a little afraid to do this over, despite knowing that Hen and Chimney learned their lesson. As if the guilt of seeing what happened to Buck wasn’t enough, Bobby had them both doing every gross chore at the firehouse for nearly two weeks. Lord knows Hen was unhappy about it, but she was also resigned. She knows she messed up, and if that’s what it takes to make up for it, she’ll scrub the toilets for a year. She’s sweet like that.

“I feel weird doing this again,” she admits, taking the cold beer Athena hands her. “I know Buck forgave us, and we’d never do that to him again, but I just- I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“You weren’t, but what matters is he’s okay, and it won’t happen again.”

Hen sighs and nods. Everyone else has started to settle into the party already, having fun and smiling, enjoying themselves. Karen and Denny are playing some sort of game in the pool, eagerly inviting Harry, May and Christopher to participate. Maddie squeals in laughter when Chimney splashes her with water. Off to the side, Buck and Eddie are helping Bobby grill up burgers, and Michael has made it his personal mission to blow up a float shaped like a shark. It’s a happy sight, but the other one was too.

“I’m kinda nervous too. Seeing Buck like that was awful, and having it happen here, especially after his blood clot incident- I hate not being able to help.”

“It’s not your fault, Thena.”

They enjoy their drinks in the shade, just observing for now. Both of them can feel the weight of the things that have happened to such a genuine and loving man out back on this property, and despite it all, he comes back with this big goofy smile on his face and a bottle of wine for Athena in his hands. He’s a good kid. He’s just been through a lot, and needs some support. Bobby alleges Buck started therapy after what happened last time, and is beginning to work through the trauma. It still worries her, though, especially when Christopher begs Eddie and Buck to come into the pool.

She waits for the excuse, or for Eddie to kiss Buck’s cheek and get in the water, but instead, there’s a moment of hesitation for them both. They share a look, and Bobby ruffles Buck’s hair with some quiet and presumably encouraging comment. Beside her, Athena can practically feel Hen’s shock. Buck takes Eddie’s hand, and lowers his feet into the pool. The steps on the very edge are perfect for getting used to it, even if he pales and stares at the water like it’ll bite him.

Athena wants to encourage him, but she knows the moment she draws attention to this moment, he’ll get shy or spooked and return to his post at the grillside. She smiles at the sight of him doing something scary, but feeling safe enough around them to do it. Despite it all, he’s here, sitting on the highest step with the water gently playing at his waist while Eddie reassures him.

Back when the two of them first got together, Athena was just waiting for it to blow up. Buck is sensitive and reluctant in terms of relationships, quick to jump into something and get hurt when the other person isn’t as invested as him. It’s what happened with that redhead he dated. But Eddie makes him happy, and there’s a soft understanding on his face as he cups Buck’s cheek and reassures him again. After a few minutes, when Buck moves down a step and lets the cool water press against his chest, and he tenses in fear, Eddie is right there to remind him he’s safe, and point out where Christopher is happy and playing with the others, not lost or in danger.

Every so often, he casts a glance behind him toward Bobby, as though reminding himself that he’s not lost in wreckage, but in a backyard party with people who love him so wholly and completely that he never has to suffer alone. If he lets them, they’ll look after him. As it is now, Athena is battling back the urge to get in the water with him and just hug him tightly. She wants to tell him it’s going to be okay.

After a few minutes and visible encouragement from Buck, Eddie goes further into the pool to mess around with everyone else. Buck gets out slightly, moving back up to the top step and turning his body to chat with Bobby. It’ll keep his mind off things. He smiles gratefully when Bobby hands him a beer, and even from this distance, his shoulders visibly relax with each passing minute.

Once dinner’s ready, he gets out of the water all too eagerly, and sets up three plates he just barely manages to balance in his arms. One for himself, one for Christopher, and one for Eddie. Athena notices the way he walks around the pool, giving it tons of space before settling down with the boys. She turns to say something to Hen about it, but before she can, she recognizes the mischief on Harry’s face. He’s up to something. She doesn’t want to know, but if she doesn’t, it’s just going to happen and they’ll have to deal with the cleanup of whatever scheme he’s on about now.

“Harry,” she yells, standing up. 

He just gives her a thumbs up and yells, “Buck, watch this!”

Then, once Buck has stopped and turned his full attention to Harry, the same adoring and happy expression on his face as every time a child seems to want his approval, Harry jumps into the pool and doesn’t come up. Just like what happened to Buck before. Then, like instinct, Buck drops his plate and dives in after him, bringing Harry to the edge of the pool and passing him to Athena, then seeming to realize exactly where he is and what just happened. 

“Athena,” he says, and his voice sounds so tight. “Athena, I can’t-”

Michael takes Harry from her, leading him inside to give him a stern talking to, and she’s able to focus on how Buck is starting to hyperventilate, even with his head above water and clinging to the edge of the pool. “Yes you can, honey, it’s okay. You’re okay. Can you get out of the water on your own, or do you want help?”

Before he can answer, Hen and Chimney are in the water with him, each taking one of his arms and slowly guiding him to the shallows. Not too fast, nothing to remind him of the ripping current of the tsunami. Once they get him to the steps, Eddie and Bobby are there with a towel to help him get out and dry him off as fast as possible. It’s not as bad as last time, in some ways. Buck wasn’t in physical danger. He seems more lucid. But he’s still scared and panicked and trying to figure out how to process going back into the water of his own free will, instinct or not, for the first time since the tsunami. 

Athena joins them and wraps her arms around Buck. He clings to her just as much as he does Eddie. Her arm around his chest is held in a vice grip, while Buck’s free hand is around the back of Eddie’s neck, his face pressed to the tanned skin of Eddie’s shoulder. His eyes stay squeezed shut for a long time, even as his breathing slowly returns to normal.

“What do you need, Buck?” she asks gently.

He shakes his head. No real answer, then. But he’s mostly dry now, just cold, so it’s welcome when Hen comes over with the throw from inside to wrap around him. Christopher slowly makes his way over to join them, just as before, and throws his arms around Buck in hopes of comforting him. Last time, he had helped. He’s such a good kid, him and Eddie both, and Athena is so grateful to them for being there for Buck when he can barely hold himself together. Finally, Buck lets go of her in favor of holding Chris, and Athena stands back up. 

She can faintly hear Michael yelling at Harry inside over what he did. He was never in danger, he just wanted to get Buck in the water. He meant well, was just trying to make Buck get in the water without fear, but that’s not his place. Earlier, he went into the water, and that was progress. He needs to be allowed to move at his own pace. 

“I’m really proud of you,” she tells him. His eyes are still wide and tearful when he looks up at her, but at least he’s calm enough to hear. “It must have taken a lot of courage to get in the water earlier with Eddie, and to jump in after Harry. I’m so, so proud of you, and I want you to know that.”

He nods, still too upset to say something in return, and Athena leans down to kiss his forehead before she leaves him be with the boys. Everyone else focuses on doing something that takes up their attention, giving Buck some privacy as he calms down in a show of compassion she should have expected. The party isn’t over this time, and within a half hour, Buck is serving ice cream into a paper bowl for Christopher. He’s going to be okay.

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr @cupidmarwani


End file.
